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December 15, 2017

Channeler

Base ClassComments from the Finger: A base class treat for Christmas! The Channeler is the one true gish for 5th edition. No longer do you have to settle for divine paladins, multiclassing, or anemic fighter archetypes -- this dedicated class balances swordplay and spellcasting in a single package that doesn't overpower or lag behind any Core options. Moreover, the unique concentration choices and the use of arcana points in place of conventional spell slots makes the Channeler a flexible and interesting class for any encounter. That's all for now -- we're taking some time off until January 3rd.

Channeler

Working furtively with chalk, incense, and an immense tome of diagrams and arcane glyphs, a bespectacled gnome traces an elaborate circle of the floor. With a flick of his wrist, the tile floor vanishes; beyond is a field engulfed in flames, and a metallic city looms in the distance.
A figure clad in a hooded azure robe draws a longsword, hefts it high in one hand, and vanishing across the room, brings the blade crashing down on a dragon’s head, releasing a hail of blood and sparks.
Skilled in sword and spell alike, channelers are dynamic and formidable mages who draw their power from the planes of the multiverse. This connection stems from an object called the channeler’s key, which they use to unlock the doors of the universe.Portal and Key
Portals throughout the multiverse come in a wide array of shapes and sizes, as do their keys. Some keys are just that, physical instruments to open locked doors, but others are more complex or specific, like particular ritual components and unique items bound to specific portals. All of them are forged by the same type of magic, a ritual known as the Rite of Binding, which merges the essence of a portal and its key, forming a gateway between worlds, imbued with planar energies.
Either through a magical mishap or intentional meddling in the fabric of the multiverse, a channeler’s essence becomes mingled with the planes. Most who seek to become channelers perform the Rite of Binding on themselves, using their bodies as ritual components in place of a gate, and become linked to a key in the process. This ritual is a taxing and perilous endeavor, requiring a strong body and mind, for it was not designed to be undertaken by living things. However, those who survive becomes living gates, bound to the energies of the multiverse in the same manner as a planar portal. And just as a planar portal, they can draw from a deep well of planar energy and conduct magic through inanimate objects.

Swordmages
Channelers blur the line between spellcaster and warrior, marrying arcane might with physical combat prowess. Because all channelers are bound to a key, they have the innate potential to focus their spellcasting potential though other objects, and many seek to master the delicate art of balancing a spell’s fury on the edge of a blade. Consequently, their strikes bite not only with steel, but also with flame, lightning, and frost.

Indexing the Multiverse
To create their spells, channelers memorize sigil sequences to draw energy from specific planar gates. Such sequences are normally used to travel between portals in the multiverse, but when combined in the right manner, (requiring intensive memorization and leaps of lateral thinking) they can be used to power spells. But channelers recognize that sigil sequences are not just coordinates to locations in the multiverse; they are fundamental to the greatest secret in the multiverse: the Nexus.
Energy flows through the multiverse in channels and streams, connecting to the Planes of Existence at the sites of portals, and eventually radiating out to the vast and singular Void, which is divorced from reality. Because the multiverse is constructed in perfect symmetry, it stands to reason that the Void itself must have an opposite, which channelers believe to be the Nexus, a location at the multiverse’s center containing unlimited power.
Though scholars and sages disagree hotly, channelers believe that, with the right sigil sequences, they can trace the streams and tributaries of the multiverse back to their origin at the Nexus.

Creating a Channeler
As you build your channeler, consider what entangled your character with planar powers. Did you undergo the dangerous Rite of Binding? If so, was it in a desperate bid for power, much like a warlock’s pact, or were you simply drawn to walking the planes? Were you initiated by an existing order of channelers, or did you perform the ritual alone? It’s even possible your origin is more like that of a sorcerer, that you were stricken by planar magic, and only the Rite of Binding could preserve your life. Whatever the reason, you have taken a gambit for arcane might, and won.
Also, though your choice of Planar Order decides what type of portal key you bond to, you should think about this item’s specifics and how it relates to your character. If your key is a weapon, it could be a family heirloom, a sword passed down from generation to generation, or a trophy, perhaps the weapon carried by the first person you’ve slain. If your key is a tome, what kind of book is it, in what condition do you keep it, and what information, other than spells and arcane secrets, is held within its pages? Perhaps, your key isn’t an item of substantial importance; that too, is an important character note.

Quick Build
When building a channeler, you need to balance your physical and mental ability scores to maximize your character’s potential. Follow these suggestions to build a character quickly. Your highest ability score should be Strength or Dexterity, followed by Intelligence. Your next highest ability score should be Constitution. Then, choose the Blinknight Order option and select the cantrips minor illusion and shocking grasp. Finally, choose any background and a versatile martial weapon as part of your equipment.

Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted to you by your background:

A martial weapon

(a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple melee weapon

(a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) a scholar’s pack

Scale mail and a material component pouch

Arcane Reverberation
At 1st level, you can sense the reverberations magic leaves in the air. By spending your action concentrating on an object that you touch, you can make an Intelligence check to determine if the object is under the effect of magic or if it is within the area of any spells (DC equals 10 + the spell’s level). You learn the school of magic, if any. If the object is a magic item, you feel an intense amount of energy, but can't directly determine the type of item, or its properties.

Planar Order
At 1st level, you embrace a portal key, an object which allows you to manipulate planar energies. This key is likely not a key at all; rather, it is a specific object that reflects your strengths, weaknesses, and destiny. Channelers who choose similar keys make natural allies and form close confederations, called Planar Orders, to practice and share knowledge. Orders range from the mundane to the deeply esoteric, with variations as diverse as the multiverse itself.
With your portal key in hand, you can open certain planar portals (at the GMs discretion) without the normal portal key.
Your choice in planar order grants you features at 1st level, and additional features at 7th, 10th, and 15th level.

Fighting Style
At 2nd level, you adopt a style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

Dueling. When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

Hand-and-a-Half. While wielding a versatile weapon in two hands, you gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with that weapon.

Magebreaker. When you deal damage to a creature with a melee weapon attack, you have advantage on saving throws against spells cast by that creature until the beginning of your next turn.

Spell Channeling
By 2nd level, you have mastered the art of channeling spells through your weapon strikes. When you make a spell attack against a creature within your reach while holding a melee weapon that isn’t heavy, you can use your bonus action to substitute the spell attack with a melee weapon attack. On a hit, the attack deals normal damage, in addition to the effects of the spell.
Starting at 5th level, or when you gain a feature such as Extra Attack that allows you to make more than one attack when you take the Attack action, this ability improves. When you use this ability to substitute a spell attack roll, you can make a second melee attack against a different target within your reach. The effects of the spell are only triggered on the first hit.

Spellcasting
Starting at 2nd level, by evoking your connection to the planes through your portal key, you can channel raw power from the multiverse, and cast spells in turn.

Arcana Points
You have a pool of arcana points, which you can use to cast spells of 1st level and higher. The Arcana Point Cost table summarizes the number of arcana points required to produce a spell slot of 1st to 5th level. Cantrips don’t require spell slots and therefore don’t require arcana points.
The Channeler table shows how many arcana points you have and when your point pool increases. You regain all expended arcana points when you finish a long rest.

Arcana Point Cost

Spell Level

Point Cost

1st

2

2nd

3

3rd

5

4th

6

5th

7

Spells Known of 1st Level or Higher
You know two first-level spells of your choice from the channeler spell list. The channeler table shows when you learn more channeler spells of your choice. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what’s shown on the Max Spell Level column for your level.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the channeler spells you know and replace it with another spell from the channeler spell list, which also must be of a level no higher than what’s shown on the Max Spell Level column.

Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your channeler spells, since you learn your spells by studying and memorizing sigil sequences to planar gates. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a channeler spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spellcasting Focus
You can use a melee weapon that isn’t heavy as a spellcasting focus for your channeler spells.

Planar Focus
Beginning at 3rd level, you can narrow your focus to channel energy from a particular part of the multiverse. You can use your bonus action to begin or end a planar focus. Once on each of your turns, you can switch your active focus. You maintain this effect as if concentrating on a spell.
You have the following four focus options:Elemental Air. Your movement speed increases by 10 feet, you can stand from being prone without using any movement, and opportunity attacks against you have disadvantage.Elemental Earth. While you are not holding a shield, your armor class increases by 2.Elemental Fire. When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for a channeler spell, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2.Elemental Water. Whenever you take acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage and you do not have resistance to that type of damage, you can use your reaction to halve the damage taken.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Null Arcane

At 6th level, you have learned to tap into the Void between planes. When you see a creature within 60 feet of you casting a spell of 5th level or lower, you can use your reaction to produce a field of opposing magic, nullifying the effect. You expend a number of arcana points equal to the spell’s point cost, as shown in the Arcana Point Cost table (or 1 point for a cantrip.) The spell then fails and has no effect.

Improved Spell Channeling

Starting at 11th level, you can make two melee weapon attacks, instead of one, when you use Spell Channeling to substitute a spell attack roll. In addition, you can still make another melee attack against a different target within your reach that you have not already attacked. The effects of the spell are only triggered on the first hit.
Alternatively, if you cast a spell which requires more than one spell attack roll, you can use Spell Channeling to replace two spell attacks with melee weapon attacks, dealing damage as normal, in addition to the effects of the spell.

Greater Focus

Starting at 14th level, you gain the following Planar Focus options: Limbo. Once per turn when you deal damage to a hostile creature with a melee weapon attack, you can use your bonus action to sap some arcane energy from the strike. On a hit, you regain 1 arcana point, up to your arcana point maximum.

Paradise. You have a flight speed equal to your movement speed. When you begin your turn in the air, you can maintain this effect by spending an arcana point. Otherwise, you fall.

Underworld. You can cast the spell vampiric touch without using arcana points. You maintain concentration on this spell as long as you maintain this planar concentration.

Planeshifter

Starting at 18th level, you can freely walk the planes. You can cast the plane shift spell, targeting only yourself, without using a spell slot or spell components.

Once you use this ability, you must finish a long rest before using it again.

Nexus Arcane

At 20th level, you connect with the central nexus of all existence. When you roll initiative and have no arcana points remaining, you immediately regain 10 arcana points.

Planar Orders

A channeler's first steps into the multiverse are daunting: the infinite planes of existence are treacherous and do not yield their secrets easily. To this end, channelers abroad in the multiverse rely on their planar orders for guidance, protection, and information. Even on their home planes, planar orders sometimes meet to discuss business or ensure that the plane is protected from outsiders with malicious intents.

Order of Blinknights

A channeler joining the Order of Blinknights unifies themselves with a weapon, which becomes an extension of their very being. Skilled blinknights can feel the energy of the multiverse hum through their steel, guiding their strikes as they blink across the battlefield. A blinknights fears no force in the multiverse, be it angel, devil, or rival spellcaster.

Key Weapon

At 1st level, your planar key is a weapon, which you can sequester away on the Ethereal Plane when it's not in use. This weapon counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. You can summon your key weapon to your hand or dismiss it to the Ethereal Plane as you would normally draw or stow a weapon. If this weapon is out of your reach for longer than 1 minute, it teleports back to the Ethereal Plane.

You can transfer the binding magic of your key to another weapon within your reach by performing a 1-hour long ritual, which can be done during a short rest.

Ethereal. You can use your bonus action and spend up to 3 arcana points to teleport to an unoccupied space you can see up to 15 feet away for each arcana point spent.

Spellstrike Ward

Starting at 10th level, you can use your bonus action to raise a defensive ward. For the next minute, you have a pool of 5 temporary hit points. For the duration, whenever you deal damage to a hostile creature with a melee weapon attack, your temporary hit point pool gains points equal to your Intelligence modifier. Your hit point pool holds a maximum number of points equal to twice your level.

Once you use this ability, you must complete a short or long rest before using it again.

Arcane Edge

At 15th level, when you hit with a spell attack roll that is channeled through a melee weapon attack, you can choose for the attack to become a critical hit.

Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Order of Dimensional Magi

The Dimensional Magi are an order of channelers that study the structure of the multiverse itself, learning to slip between its many layers. For all intents and purposes, these channelers are scholars, and choose a tome full of planar secrets as their key. Master Dimensional Magi have collected the universe’s most cryptic mysteries within their spellbooks, and can call upon them in times of need for a sudden burst of potent magic.

Key Book

At 1st level, your planar key is a spellbook, which you can keep on the Ethereal Plane when it’s not in use. You can use your bonus action to call the book from the Ethereal Plane, or to dismiss it there.

The book begins inscribed with two 1st-level spells of your choice that have the ritual tag from any class’s spell list. Spells copied into this spellbook don’t count against the number of spells you know. With your spellbook in hand, you can cast the chosen spells as rituals. You can’t cast the spells except as rituals, unless you’ve learned them by some other means. You can also cast any channeler spell you know as a ritual if it has the ritual tag.

On your adventures, you can add other ritual spells to your spellbook. When you find such a spell, you can add it to the book if the spell is of level which you can cast and if you can spare the time to transcribe the spell. For each level of the spell, the transcription process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp for the rare inks needed to inscribe it.

You can transfer the binding magic of your key to another spellbook within your reach by performing a 1-hour long ritual, which can be done during a short rest.

Bonus Focus
Starting at 7th level, you gain the following Planar Focus option:Shadowfell. On your turn, you can use your bonus action and spend 1 arcana point to become invisible for 1 minute, and can spend an additional arcana point to maintain this effect each minute after the first. This effect ends if you attack or cast a spell.

Phase Shift
At 10th level, you can shift your body out of phase with the Material and Ethereal Planes as an action. For the next minute, you can subtract your Intelligence modifier from bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage you take. This effect is bypassed by damage that would normally affect creatures on the Ethereal Plane.
Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Secret Arcana
Starting at 15th level, you know three spells of your choice of 7th level or lower from the wizard spell list. While holding your spellbook, you can cast one of these spells without using a spell slot or arcana points.
Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you complete a long rest.

64 comments:

I expected a 3rd, miscellaneous "trinket" focus subclass that's able to, I dunno, has abilities similar to prestidigitation; Perform a bunch of weaker effects that follow under a certain theme. a bit more of a jack of all trades without stepping on the toes of a bard.Hell maybe a bit of randomization as you're not getting to know a few specific channels but just picking from literally anywhere in the planar system you can reach fastest.

Anyway great work on this, I'll see if I can try the class in a campaign.

My policy is only to do two subclasses at a time on new base classes nowadays -- it's much easier to playtest and balance that way. We've got a ton of ideas for subclasses floating around, and I can put that on the list (though, you might find a better jack-of-all-trades direction in something else we're working on.)

Ah, That's alright, it was more just me spitballing. I'm certainly not demanding you make things based on my ideas. (I worded it badly, expected more means "what I immediately thought of when I actually read the classes lore")

Anyway I'd love to see what new things you've got once they come out. I am a sucker for jacks of all trades, so I'm interested to see what you got coming up.

Hey, I like the flavor of this. I think gishes are neat, so I'm biased (valor bard, woo!) Quick question: the table says a 2nd lv channeler knows 4 1st lv spells, but the spellcasting feature says they only know 2. Which one is correct?

Previous versions of this class on their Patreon had the table list known spells at 1st level at 3. Seeing as it has changed from 3 to 4 on webpage release, I assume that 4 is the correct amount. This would also keep the class in line with being a half caster, so that's what I'd go with. Of course, I'm not them, so I'd wait on an official reply :)

Would it be stepping too much on the toes of the Warlock then, to suggest a planar binding to a creature, ala 'Find Familiar' and the Pact of the Chain?I saw your comment regarding two subclasses on a base class release, but was curious what you thought.

The class is great, gish options are always welcome. I have a few comments concerning the new spells:

Boomering- Radiant damage for an arcane type is unusual. Since it's a BOOMering, thunder maybe? Or lightning?

Force Dart- There's a reason high-damage cantrips use damage types like fire and poison (other than E-Blast, which is a special case). A force "Firebolt" seems a bit too good (at least to the point where it'll always be a must-have choice).

Ray of warping is interesting, without a doubt. It's very hard to determine exactly how powerful it is- it has the potential of instantly crippling a powerful creature, but in most cases it'll be hard to know for sure. With the attack requirement and the save each turn it seems ok, but I can definitely see situations where it'll basically one-shot a BBEG.

Boomering is a real oddball of a spell -- it's based on a Dark Souls 3 spell used by the final boss of the DLC (spoilers), and it's technically a divine spell in Dark Soul's terms. I'd probably put this one on the cleric/paladin list, but it's also on the Channeler list because the Channeler is a odd duck of a class. (It also gets guiding bolt, after all.)

We had a _huge_ fight over force dart. Villages were burned. Things were thrown. Ultimately, we decided this spell is top-tier, but it's not exactly better than eldritch blast, so it's not the /best/ cantrip. We plan to contain it to the Dimensional Magus and Warmage list, and allow it nowhere else. We're going to treat it with the same exclusivity that eldritch blast gets.

Ray of Warping is also an odd duck, since it imposes a condition without a saving throw. That being said, this spell is a bit problematic since it also takes your concentration, which robs you of an important class feature. I'm convinced that it's basically fine, if only because the ability score reduction is way too unpredictable.

I don't think the ability score reduction is actually unpredictable- you can guess very well what it'll do to a wizard, or barbarian, or a big dumb monster, and it'll almost always be extremely useful (from around -4 to even -8 to their usually most important score). There are VERY few creatures with 6 high ability scores, or high and unimportant scores.

I'm open to replacing the ability score changing part. Ultimately, what I'm looking for is a type of penalty that isn't too significant; something small enough that an be applied by an attack roll, rather a saving throw, but powerful enough to be deserving of a 3rd level spell. This is a fine line, but I think we can find something that works better.

maybe a static addition to damage taken or reduction to damage dealt? "The target takes 3 more damage from all sources" or deals 3 less physical damage (or 4-5)? It's sort of the same kind of effect as Enlarge/Reduce, and with the addition of 2d8 damage and requiring an attack it seems worthy of being 3rd level.

OMG YES! Gishes are my favorite. In fact my Warmage is my favorite 5th Edition character that I've played. I can't wait to try this class out. I love that Force Dart got carrried over since I didn't use it on my House of the Knight Warmage and the other new spell look amazing.

I agree, I'm currently playing a Warmage/Bladesinger and it's loads of fun. Playing House of Pawns, used promotion to pick up Cloak of feathers so with Bladesong and Force Buckler I have an AC of 27 (we rolled stats and I rolled really well). I'm having a ton of fun with it. And I'm thinking it would be a ton of fun to eventually play a Warmage/Channeler. It's definitely on my list of things to play.

Since you both seem to have been playing Warmages, let me derail this conversation: What are your thoughts? I know they're fun, but have you encountered any issues with them being far too strong or weak in any areas? Do they vastly out perform or underperform compared to, say, warlocks?

I don't have a lot of experience playing warlocks other than my Pact of Lady Luck warlock and I don't get to play him often as that campaign is our back DM's. Also that warlock practically one shot a Bone Devil at level 6 or 7 so its hard to compare them. My Warmage is in a Group with an Alchemist, an Arcane Archer(ranger revised), and a Blood Hunter and my DM made it so that Warmage counts as Wizards for Attuning to stuff and completed Storm King's Thunder with a Staff of Power, Robes of the Archmage, a Helm of Brilliance(the parties second), and the ability to get his AC in the 30's.

He is a badass and I don't know how to compare him to anything other than my 3.5 Ranger who's party overthrew a kingdom and had a flying citadel.

so say you were concentrating on a spell that let you make a spell attack like Vampiric Touch? Would you be able to Bonus the spell attack into your sword then use you attack action and attack with the sword twice with Extra Attack?

I'm excited to see Guiding Bolt on the list now, I think that was a good call. I know it wasn't on there originally with the Patreon release. I'm really looking forward to playing your Channeler. And I can't decide if in the next campaign we're about to start if I'll go Warmage/Channeler or go (Steel Magic) Witch/Hex Blade Warlock.

I am a bit surprised that the Channeler doesn't have find familiar as a spell though. And was curious on your reasoning for it.

My reasoning here might seem a little obtuse, but it's because I didn't want the channeler to have a huge focus on summoning in the base class (their spells are mostly bursty, not long duration stuff.) I extended that all the way to find familiar, because if I do a summoning archetype that flips the book on this, find familiar is a good 1st level feature.

Hmmmmm. That spell channeling looks like a much improved battle magic of the Valor bard at 2nd level instead of 14th. Granted, I dont think it's too powerful a feature to give at 2nd level, but I am seeing a similar feature being granted to eldritch knight, house of knights warmage, and a Valor bard at much higher levels, and none actually compare to the spell channel feature.

This really isn't a reasonable comparison. If we were waiting until 5th level or 14th level to give out the class's hallmark feature, it wouldn't be much of a class at all. It just gets precedence here because this is a true-blue gish class, not an archetype.

The damage numbers work out, which is the key thing in terms of viability.

So question, the spell channeling feature states that when you make a ranged spell attack you may substitute the ranged for a melee weapon attack, so is the intent that this would let you take an additonal attack as per the extra attack option, or that you only have the extra attack if you take the action to attack? because as it is worded now, you cannot use a spell that takes an action to cast and also use 2 attacks.

A channeler can cast using 2nd level spell slots at 2nd level by expending 3 of its 4 arcana points. Is this sort of spell slot manipulation intended in its design? Asking before I request to my DM that I use this class in an upcoming campaign.

Sorry about that. Made another comment earlier, but it was butchered by auto correct. My question is explained by thus. The channeler, which is effectively a half-caster (like the paladin and ranger) is, unlike the paladin and ranger, able to create spell slots at a level earlier than what those half casters usually get. For example, both a paladin and ranger can ONLY get level 2 spell slots at 5th level. However, from what I have read, a channeler ofthe same level can get 5th level spell slots, by expending 7 of the 14 arcana points it has at that level. Is this sort of thing intended in its design?

Oh boy, thats fantastic! Gratz on the awesome work! But, i have some questions:It's possible to use Arcane Chanelling with Burning Hands? I know, the description says: "spell attack", and Burning Hands doesnt require a spell attack... but it would be so damn awesome. Hit some foe and then explode in a 15ft cone behind him. Second, most of features with that kind of effect doesnt works with cantrips (there is always something like: when you cast a 1st -level spell or higher...), and here says nothing. So can i use like Shocking Grasp and get the f*** out (if i hit of course)?I think somebody already questioned, but, if i used my action to cast some spell in the past turn (like those which require concetration), may i make a second attack w/ extra attack? Like:

Because, Vampiric Touch requires a spell attack, but when you cast, you may use, as a action, until the end of the spell (concetration, 1 minute). So you already casted, you just need do channel with bonus action. Or im saying bs?

Burning Hands, as well as every other saving throw spell, does not work with Spell Channeling. This is for balance as much as it is for gameplay (it slows down the game a lot if you need to resolve both attack rolls and saving throws on your turn.)

Most of the features (including Spell Channeling) interact with cantrips as well, so you can channel shocking grasp, and then run away without repercussions.

It's important to remember that Extra Attack only works if you explicitly take the Attack action. Casting vampiric touch (or using it on a subsequent turn, for that matter) doesn't count as the Attack action.

By contrast, Spell Channeling works basically exclusively off the words "spell attack." If you see those words in the spell description, you can probably use Spell Channeling with it.

Yes. My confusion on Arcane Channeling is here:"bonus action to substitute the spell attack with a melee weapon attack".In my second turn, i am not using my action to cast Vampic Touch, because i already had casted. So i though, my bonus action will change my Vampiric Touch "Spell Attack" to a "Melee Weapon Attack". But its right, my interpretation was just wrong, because it not change my ACTION spell to ACTION meele attack. By the way, i prefer in this way. My idea to the class its like: i have options: I can spend a Arcane Point to make a lot of damage once per turn. I can use my cantrips to deal some sustained damage and crowdcontrol. And i can use my extra attack when my enemies has resistance and immunity, or i lack arcane points. Even so a 5th-level cantrip could deal more damage than 2 attacks, cant forget the weapon magical effects (if i have one of course). I think is well balanced and give a lot of options with the elemental stances.

I really like this class, it is pretty fun to have a Gish that isn't a fighter or paladin, so that is fairly nice. However, whenever I really sit down and think about the Dimentional Magus, I kinda get irked by the fact that they get up to 7th level spells before they get access to their 5th level spells. I don't know if making them more akin to warlock where it tiers up at certain levels. Getting the extra ritual spells is nice but something that adds them closer to being a full caster or 3/4 caster in this case.

Looking at that feature again with a dose of retrospect, you might be right: it's a little off-kilter with the spell progression. Waiting until later levels for it to upgrade is also pretty strange, since the subclass features should generally be finished after the capstone.

I'm going to have to think about this one for a while. 7th level spells shouldn't be critically game-breaking, since full-casters blow this out of the water by this level, but it's also a pretty huge power spike for the channeler. There's probably a better middle ground to be found here.

The key to capturing the theme is to make the Dimensional Magus feel more like a true caster. It helps sell the contrast between this archetype and the Duskblade, and it also helps establish this class as feeling different to the paladin or eldritch knight. Maybe casting a spell for free 1/day? Something like a metamagic, like Empower Spell? Maybe some combination of another feature and 'you learn 5 more spells of your choice from the wizard spell list.'

I'm confused as to the use of Spell Channeling, is it meant to replace the spells attack bonus with your melee attack bonus,or dose it use a melee attack instead then combine the damage of both the melee attack and the spells effect including damage?

eg. using the spell boomering with spell channeling on a rapier, you make a melee attack and if the attack misses you try again? and on hit it dose melee damage of 1d8+dex and the 3d6 radient from boomering(currently the way it's being used by friend)

I have a question about the higher level spells for the channeler, why is it that in the base available spells there is only one offensive spell available for levels 4 and 5? And how does black tentacles interact with spell channeling considering its an aoe concentration spell??

Quick question that has probably been answered already and I just missed it, but with the Planar Focus, I noticed that the Shadowfell is represented, but I didn't see the Feywild. Is it wrapped up as part of Paradise, or is it somewhere else?